Wire-fastening device.



- H. E. WHITE.

WIRE FASTENING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 25, 19M.

- Patented Apr. 20, 1915.

run s'ra'rns rare OFFICE.

'HERBERT E. WHITE, OE YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE GENERAL FIRE-PROOFINGCOMIPANY, OF YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

'WIRE-FASTENING DEVICE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERBERT E. WHITE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Youngstowmin the county of Mahoning and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Wire-Fastening Devices,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved wire fastening device possessingspecial utility as a fastening means for securely and rigidly clampingwires to metal posts and all metal structures used for fencing or otherpurposes.

To this end, the invention contemplates a wire fastener of very simpleconstruction and which can be economically manufactured from stampings,and easily and readily applied without the use of any special tools orappliances. At the same time, the invention provides adevice which holdsa wire to a post under very strong tension so that slipping ordisplacement of the wire from normal causes is made impossible. At thesame time, the improved fastener is unaffected in it's clamping actionby temperature changes causing contraction and expansion of the metalparts.

With these and other objects in view which will be readily apparent tothose familiar with this class of devices, the invention consists in thenovel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinaftermore specifically pointed out, illustrated, and claimed.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in the acnompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a fence 0stillustrating a number of line wires, eac of which is clamped thereto byone of the improved fastening devices. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail viewin perspective of a sectlon of the fence post illustrating the firstposition of one of the fasteners when applied to the wire, and showingthe position of its locking shank prior to being wedged through the slotin the post. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the fastener inits locked position with the locking shank thereof engaged within andagainst the 0st. Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view on the ins 44 of Fig.3. Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view on the line 55 of Fig. 3. 'Fig. 6 isSpecification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 20, 1915.

Application filed February 25, 1914. serial No. 821,074.

a detail view in perspective of one of the fastener keys.

Like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the severalfigures of the drawings.

The improved fastening device primarily consists of what may be termed afastener key designated in the drawings by the reference letter K andformed from a strip of metal-preferably of comparatively thin steel.This strip'of metal is provided at one end thereof with a T-shapedfulcrum member T which includes a cross'head 2 and a stem portion 3,tl1elatter being bent on a curve to constitute what may be termed a saddlepiece which fits overthe'top and outer'side Ofithe line Wire w. At theside of the saddle piece or stem portion 3 beyond the cross head 2, themetal strip, constituting the body of the key, is formed into a lockingshank 4 having a substantially V-shaped channel in one side thereof togive the shank the form of a wedge with the inclined sides 5 (as plainlyseen in Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings), and at the free or swinging endthereof, the said channeled locking shank is provided with terminalcatch projections 6 which are disposed at one side of the shank andprojected from the edges of the inclined sides 5 thereof.

Cooperating with each fastener key K is a metalpost P. This post isprovided with a longitudinal slot 7 in one side thereof through whichslot each fastener key is inserted and locked. That is to say, toprovide for fastening a wire w upon the outside of the post P, the crosshead 2 at one end fof the fastener key is slipped through the clinedsides 5 of the locking shank, particularly at the catch terminals 6-6thereof, is greater than the width of the slot 7 so that by forciblypressin the shank 4 inward through the slot 7, t e wedge formation ofthe shank 4 permits the same to crowd its way into the slot 7 past theopposite edges of the slot, and when entirely clear from such the Wedgeshank 4 is crowded throu h the slot 7, or in the spring of the metalastening key, or partly by the spring of both, so it will further beunderstood that changes in the form, proportion, and minor details ofconstruction may beresorted to without departing from the spirit orsacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

I claim:

1. A wire fastening device comprising in combination with a post, afastener key of substantially T-shaped formation consisting of a fulcrummember and a locking shank disposed substantially at right angles toeach other, and each adapted to'have a locking iengagement with thepostwholly within the atter.

2. A wire fastening device comprising in combination with the slottedpost, a fastener key having at one end a wire engaging. T- shapedfulcrum member engaged within the post across the slot thereof, and awedging locking shank adapted to have a springlocking engagement behindthe edge portions of the slot.

3. A wire fastening device comprising in combination with thelongitudinally slotted post, a fastener key having at one end a T-shaped wire engaging fulcrum member engaging within the post across theslot thereof, said key also having a channeled locking shank of wedgeform in cross section and provided with terminal catch projectionshaving .a spring-locking engagement with the edge portions of the slot.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence oftwo witnesses.

HERBERT E. WHITE.

lVitnesses H. R. GLENN, O. D. KAISER.

